Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and the leaders of Georgia's breakaway
regions -- South Ossetia and Abkhazia -- signed treaties of friendship,
cooperation and mutual assistance yesterday.
"The just-signed treaties stipulate that our countries shall betaking joint
necessary measures to eliminate the threat to peace, address problems in this
sphere and resist acts of aggression," Itar-Tass news agency quoted Medvedev as
saying at the Kremlin after the signing ceremony.
Russia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia "will give each other all necessary
support, including military," Medvedev was quoted as saying.
Moscow recognized the self-proclaimed independence of the Georgian breakaway
regions last month, following a five-day war with Tbilisi.
Georgia on Aug. 7 attacked South Ossetia in an attempt to retake control of
the region. Russia sent in troops the next day and defeated the Georgian forces.
A joint peacekeeping contingent composed of Russian, Georgian and South
Ossetian troops had been patrolling the conflict zone between Georgia and South
Ossetia since 1992 when South Ossetia won de-facto independence after defeating
Georgia in a bloody war.
Abkhazia also broke from central Georgian rule in the early 1990s following
the collapse of the former Soviet Union.
